September 24, 2012

Autumn's Splendor and Thanksgiving Food/Wine Pairings

Autumn is arguably the most beautiful season of the year, a time when the cool afternoon breeze is a welcome change after the
sweltering heat of July and August. In the distance, the rustle of
vibrant-coloured leaves creates an ever-changing canvas which has an almost
surreal effect on my wife Jacquie and I. For a moment, I though time
might be standing still as we sat watching our children rake
leaves into an enormous pile only to cannonball into the middle and resurface
grinning from ear-to-ear. It’s beautiful here and the change of season always
reminds us of yet another opportunity to gather with friends and family.

Depending on which side of the Canada/U.S. border you live on, the Thanksgiving holiday represents a slightly different meaning. Americans celebrate on the fourth Thursday of November in remembrance of the Pilgrims. In Canada, the second Monday in October marks the traditional close of the harvest. And while the date and historical significance may differ between our two countries, I think all will agree that Thanksgiving is a time to gather around
the table with family, to enjoy each other’s company, and to share a wonderful meal with a
few good bottles of wine. With that, I'd like to make a few suggestions to
enhance your enjoyment of the occasion.

The customary Thanksgiving dishes are turkey, ham
or both, and that opens a wealth of opportunity for pairing wine with the
meal. But let’s uncork and pour much earlier in the day shall we –
perhaps just after your guests arrive – a glass of Champagne anyone? In our house,
things get quite busy and Jac likes complete control of the kitchen; a place
that sadly, I am not welcome on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any other
holiday for that matter… Rather, if weather conditions permit, we head
outside for a stroll through the gardens where sparkling wine and the crisp
autumn air is a match made in heaven. Unfortunately though, many people
still reserve Champagne for New Year’s Eve festivities and deny
themselves of its pleasures otherwise. Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to
pop a cork and raise a glass of bubbly.

In terms of food and wine pairing at the dinner table, I think we are all
familiar with the cliché: red with beef and white with fish and poultry
but it’s only a guideline, at best. Instead, consider matching the wine
with the intensity of the meal. While the turkey itself is quite mild,
Thanksgiving dinner is a smorgasbord of flavour intensities: stuffing, gravy,
and the many side dishes can be quite rich by comparison. Consider a wine
to match these intense flavours such as Shiraz,
Riesling, or new world Chardonnay. On the softer side, choose a Pinot
Noir or lightly oaked Chardonnay from Burgundy.

With the ham, again consider the overall preparation:
is the meat glazed with sweet flavours such as brown sugar, honey, or apricots,
or will it have a tangy zest such as Dijon
mustard? The wine should compliment this element of the dish. Sweet
flavours call for an off-dry Riesling or light-bodied Gamay, whereas the
mustard glaze combined with the saltiness of the meat works nicely with
Ripasso, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Noir.

If serving a salad, rather than vinaigrette, which will clash
with every wine, consider creating a dressing using the wine itself as a base. The two textures will compliment each other beautifully.

And what is a feast without dessert? If you do elect
to serve a dessert wine, do so prior to tea and coffee and remember that it
must be at least as sweet as the dish. Consider something fortified such as
Maderia, Sherry, or 20-year TawnyPort. You could
also keep it seasonal and enjoy a well-chilled bottle of cranberry/maple syrup
wine; a combination like no other!

A final word on the subject of temperature: No single factor
is more important to the overall enjoyment of your wine than its
temperature. With the oven and stove running all day, the kitchen may be
the warmest room in the house. Consider storing your bottles elsewhere
and never rapidly chill your wine in the freezer. Instead, a bucket of ice
water will cool these bottles quickly and evenly. Serve sparkling wine
well chilled at approximately 6ºC and red wine at between 16 and 18ºC.
Keep your whites chilled at around 10-12ºC. Fortified wine is
traditionally served on the cool side though personally, I prefer mine at room
temperature.

With autumn and all its splendour rapidly approaching, I
hope that you do take the time to enjoy the season with family and
friends. If you decide to serve a few nice bottles, please take an extra
moment or two and set the tone for a perfect day.

1 comment:

Thanksgiving -- the best season of the year! In keeping with tradition, it’s to celebrate surviving a year in the new world. Children look forward to that because they’ll be able to eat their favorite foods. I agree with you, I will most definitely enjoy a glass of bubbly on Thanksgiving. I mean, who wouldn’t?

Some background...

Tyler is a member of the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada and the Guild of Sommeliers. He writes about and reviews wine both online and via a variety of circulating publications. In 2009 Tyler founded North of 9 Fine Wine, a free public wine education resource where he publishes his Thoughts, Theory, and Recommendations. For additional vinous related information and learning, follow on Twitter @TylerOnWine